FVR launches new book, calls on all Filipinos to revive Spirit of EDSA ‘86

By ALFRED G. GABOT and MELANDREW T. VELASCO

FORT BONIFACIO, Taguig City — Former President Fidel V. Ramos urged Filipinos to relive the spirit of People Power by making sacrifices for the interest of the country and upholding a sense of civic responsibility in the community.
“We Filipinos should build a community of caring, sharing and daring for others,” Ramos said in his address during the wreath-laying ceremony held at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City in commemoration of the 28th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution.

Days before the EDSA celebration, Ramos launched another book, “Perform, Reform, Transform,” Volume 17 of the compilation of selected essays, articles and others, at the Powerbooks at the Greenbelt 4, Makati City attended by Vice President Jejomar Binay, former Ramos Cabinet officials and leaders from multi-sectoral groups.
The new book is part of Ramos legacy to younger Filipinos and adds another building block to the quest for a better, more bountiful future. The book reminds that ordinary Filipinos can serve just as nobly in defense of freedom as the soldiers who fall in combat.
“The Spirit of EDSA teaches us that every citizen can make an important contribution to nation-building by respecting the law, raising a proper family, helping those in need, and paying their taxes on time. “Perform, Reform, Transform” points Filipinos in the right direction,” Ramos said.
Meanwhile, for the first time in Philippine history, the country commemorated the anniversary celebration of the EDSA People Power Revolution outside Metro Manila led by President Benigno S. Aquino III on Tuesday.
With the theme: “Kapit-bisig Tungo sa Pagbangon,” the President decided to commemorate the historic bloodless revolution in Cebu, City, one of the areas hit by earthquake and strong typhoon last year. The President visited Bohol and Leyte after the celebration.
The celebration in Cebu is recognition of everyone’s contribution to the peaceful revolt that ousted former dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986, Aquino said.
The President said that after 28 years, it’s time to recognize the contribution of other places in the peaceful revolt.
Another EDSA Revolution figure, Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, urged Filipinos to never lose hope and continue to fight even if reports of graft and corruption continue to persist after the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution.
“Huwag ho tayong magbago ng pananaw. Ang importante lagi nating inaalala, tinutunton, hinahanap-hanap, inaasam-asam iyong ipinaglaban po natin sa EDSA,” Binay said during the wreath-laying ceremony in celebration of the 28th EDSA Revolution anniversary at the People Power Monument in Quezon City as he criticized President Aquino for holding the celebration in Cebu.
Binay also stressed the importance of commemorating the anniversary of EDSA Revolution because it allows the younger generation to learn about the sacrifices of those who participated in the peaceful uprising that toppled the dictatorship of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos.
“Napakagandang araw po nito sapagkat ito ho ay makasaysayan. Isang araw na maraming nagsakripisyo upang mabago ang buhay nating mga Pilipino,” Binay said.
“Sa paggunita po natin nito, ipinapakita natin na tayo ay kumikilala ng utang na loob sa nangyari. Dahil nga doon, una nakakuha tayo ng respeto ng buong mundo. Doon lang sila nakakita ng isang EDSA na makapagbibigay ng bagong buhay sa isang tahimik na pamamaraan,” he added.
However, Binay also urged Filipinos to remain vigilant in making sure that the spirit of EDSA Revolution will never be forgotten.
In his speech in Cebu City, President Aquino said it is appropriate to celebrate the EDSA anniversary in Cebu recalling that the province was one of the places that resisted Martial Law under the Marcos regime.
“Talaga hong buong buo sa loob ng mga Cebuano na kung ano ang tama, at kung paano dapat labanan ang mali, at parang malaya na nga ho ang Cebu…Para sa akin ho, kung sasabihin natin kung ang huling yugto o huling kabanata ng pakikipaglabang maibalik ang demokrasya ay nangyari sa EDSA, puwede nating sigurong masabi, ang unang yugto, nag-umpisa naman sa Cebu,” he said.
He added that Cebu served as the bulwark of his late mother former President Corazon Aquino when she was planning to launch a civil disobedience campaign against Marcos dictatorship
“…Panatag po ang aking loob, na dahil nasa Cebu ang aking ina, siya ay nasa mabuting kamay, pangangalagaan ng mga Cebuano. ‘Yung mga nagtatangka ng masama, hindi magtatagumpay dahil nandoon siya sa piling ng ating mga masugid na kakampi,” he said.
The President stressed that it is time to recognize the contribution of other provinces that demonstrated resistance against the Marcos dictatorship such as Cebu and Davao.
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas choose to celebrate the 28th anniversary of EDSA People Power 1, where the historic revolution took place.
“If they want to celebrate EDSA in Cebu, Baguio, Mindanao. Let it be but for you EDSA shrine community stand on this ground because here on this ground you and I and God had a brief loving encounter for four days and history cannot be changed anymore,” said the Archbishop in his Homily during a Mass at the EDSA Shrine in Quezon City Tuesday evening.
Villegas said he was also saddened by the small number of people left to celebrate the People Power in EDSA
The commemorative rites led by former President Ramos, one of the main figures of the EDSA Revolution together with Sens. Juan Ponce Enrile and Gregorio Honasan, were alsoattended by officials and enlisted personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), the EDSA People Power Commission, Taguig City local government officials and war veterans.
“Caring and sharing mean being compassionate to the plight of others and lending a hand to help others. Daring is making sacrifices for the interest of the country,” Ramos stressed.
Ramos said the public must sustain the “bayanihan” spirit and national unity that happened during the February 1986 peaceful uprising amid the recent calamities that struck the country.
“We must strive to transform disaster areas into resilient communities,” according to Ramos.
He paid tribute to the heroism shown by Filipinos during the recent onslaught of typhoon “Yolanda” who contributed their time and effort in providing relief for those affected.
“We salute the heroic efforts of the soldiers who brought food to the hungry and the sick during the aftermath of ‘Yolanda’. Also, we laud the civilians who help provide shelter to the homeless and nourishment to the hungry in the calamity-stricken areas,” he added.
Ramos likewise expressed gratitude to the international community for their support in the rehabilitation efforts of the government.
In his speech, he expressed his support for the decision of the organizers of this year’s EDSA anniversary to hold the celebration in areas that were affected by typhoon “Yolanda,” the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck Central Visayas and typhoon “Pablo.”
Meanwhile, he cited the need for the country’s leaders to “strive to consolidate our national team and buckle down in addressing the country’s pressing concerns.”
He said the citizens must cooperate with the government through upholding the rule of law, paying taxes on time, raising a proper family and defending freedom and democracy.
He stressed that unity among the government and its citizens is important for the Philippines to become competitive and at par with its neighbors.
“We must continue to harness People Power for the good of our nation,” according to the former President.
The country should also be grateful for the historic event which served as an inspiration for people abroad to revolt against oppressive regimes through peaceful means.
“We must retain the peaceful essence of EDSA Revolution. We must ensure that no one should denigrate the ideals of freedom, human rights and democracy,” Ramos, a leading player of the People Power Revolution, stressed.